Richardsons Siesta

[Dguest]

Hi all, has anyone hired siesta from Richardsons ? I have hired it from 26th September for 11 nights and wondered if anyone can let me know of any good/bad points about the boat...thanks in advance

[ranworthbreeze]

For everyone's benefit here is a link to see Siesta:-

http://www.richardsonsboatingholidays.co.uk/boats/siesta/

Regards

Alan

[Broads01]

Hi there and welcome. I haven't hired Siesta but I've hired the same design elsewhere. Siesta was originally built by Broom and is well screwed together. It and its sister Mystic Horizon were acquired by Richardsons from Le Boat who still operate similar as the Capri class on the Thames and in Europe. Good points are good weather protection, comfy main cabin with good size bed, rear deck is lovely to sit in when sun shines, sun roof is a good size and you can get your head outside if you're tall enough. Bad points are from the saloon sofa you can't see out the windows, washroom is cramped and they are quite high (watch yourself at bridges like Ludham and St Olaves).

I've written some more stuff on my write up of my Thames trip on Capri. http://forum.norfolkbroadsnetwork.com/topic/10619-a-broads-guy-goes-all-thames/

 

[Vaughan]

I agree with Broads 01. Very nice comfortable boat for 2, especially in off season, in all weathers. Your only problem will be the restriction of the Broads bridges.

[LondonRascal]

I hired Mystic Horizon (identical to Siesta) a few years back now, so good I had it for a week, came back and a week later hired it for a fortnight.

I had worried prior to hire, how the layout may work ‘down below’ as in the photos it seems all rather cramped but while small it has great height within which means the space feels larger than is, not to mention the layout which makes great use of the space (under the sofa your find extra storage if you lift the foam cushion up).

Step into the huge front cabin, taken up with a lovely comfy spacious double – again full height to stand up here in.  Some mention the head is small, but I found no problem at all, well proportioned shower area far more so than the likes of Belmore I hired not too long ago from Barnes Brinkcraft.  

Move up two steps to the enclosed cockpit and you have lovely comfy seats for the helmsperson and their mate, super views all around and a sliding roof.  The two doors then open out into a small but nice seating area – great to chill out in when moored up and ideal if you like to fish. 

The only issues I can see is the freeboard is high, to get on and off of – but that is a result of the large interior height – and yes, the windows in the cabin are small but then there is lots of light afforded from the open doorway (covered with a drop down curtain) 

She is a tall boat, but I went through Ludham with 8ft 2” so don’t allow that to worry you too much just use your common sense – take it real slow and have your head out the roof to judge it.

Boat Review:

 

 

 

 

[Broads01]

Regarding the washroom/heads, whilst I wouldn't necessarily agree with Robin that the shower area is well proportioned, it's no worse than boats of similar size and it may not bother you at all.

[Dguest]

On Friday, September 09, 2016 at 2:27 PM, LondonRascal said:

I hired Mystic Horizon (identical to Siesta) a few years back now, so good I had it for a week, came back and a week later hired it for a fortnight.

I had worried prior to hire, how the layout may work ‘down below’ as in the photos it seems all rather cramped but while small it has great height within which means the space feels larger than is, not to mention the layout which makes great use of the space (under the sofa your find extra storage if you lift the foam cushion up).

Step into the huge front cabin, taken up with a lovely comfy spacious double – again full height to stand up here in.  Some mention the head is small, but I found no problem at all, well proportioned shower area far more so than the likes of Belmore I hired not too long ago from Barnes Brinkcraft.  

Move up two steps to the enclosed cockpit and you have lovely comfy seats for the helmsperson and their mate, super views all around and a sliding roof.  The two doors then open out into a small but nice seating area – great to chill out in when moored up and ideal if you like to fish. 

The only issues I can see is the freeboard is high, to get on and off of – but that is a result of the large interior height – and yes, the windows in the cabin are small but then there is lots of light afforded from the open doorway (covered with a drop down curtain) 

She is a tall boat, but I went through Ludham with 8ft 2” so don’t allow that to worry you too much just use your common sense – take it real slow and have your head out the roof to judge it.

Boat Review:

 

 

 

 

Thanks all..great info, very helpful ! And Robin your boat review is excellent

[Dguest]

I heard somewhere that the height markers on Ludham bridge are different from one side to the other by about 3 inches. Is this true and if so, which one is correct ?

[Broads01]

Robin is probably the expert on that having taken Siesta and Belmore through on multiple occasions. What I can say is I don't think either gauge is correct!

[Vaughan]

We had a lot of boats in France that had started their lives on the Broads and my wife was always amused that I could tell by the marks, and their positions on the canopy, whether they had hit Wroxham bridge, Yarmouth Vauxhall or Thorpe. There were none that were un-marked!

Personally, I have never thought much about bridge heights. I use the Mark One Eyeball.

 

[BroadScot]

On 12/09/2016 at 8:13 AM, Vaughan said:

We had a lot of boats in France that had started their lives on the Broads and my wife was always amused that I could tell by the marks, and their positions on the canopy, whether they had hit Wroxham bridge, Yarmouth Vauxhall or Thorpe. There were none that were un-marked!

Personally, I have never thought much about bridge heights. I use the Mark One Eyeball.

 

The problem is Vaughan, in this modern day and age, common sense has in many cases, went oot the windae as we say up here ! 

Iain